Summertime, and Livin' is Freeeakkk-yyyyy ...

Welcome to the Control Freaks Summer Mini Preview Tour!! You should have just come from the uber-incredible blog of my good friend, Mary Brown! Ohmygosh!!! Did she just totally BLOW YOU AWAY with her use of the Fabulous Florets set??? She is the whole reason I even OWN this thing!!

First off, I am going to do my best to give this set its due justice ... I was not EVEN gonna buy it when I saw it in the preview of the Summer Mini ... I was kinda feelin' like been-there/done-that ... WRONG!! I added a little bleach to these flowers to make them pop a bit more. I am going to have a LOT of fun playing with this set, that's for sure!!

Stamps: Fabulous Florets
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black Craft, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Circle Scissor, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Pearl Jewels, Dimensionals

Next, I am using yet ANOTHER one of my mui-fave-fab sets that is soon-to-be-available to all y'all ... The Open Sea. I {{heart}} this set, the DSP, the baker's twine ... ALL of it!!!

Stamps: The Open Sea, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, So Saffron, Nautical Expedition DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, So Saffron, Marina Mist
Accessories: Circle Scissor, Ticket Corner Punch, Large Oval Punch, Curly Label Punch, Spiral Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Early Espresso 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Antique Brads, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

And last, but CERTAINLY not least ... this little Ghirardelli Chocolate Box is for my BFF, Jan ... also known as the infamous JanTink - who is celebrating her 50th birthday by participating in this Blog Tour (you go, girl!!)! Since chocolate is a diet staple (as Jan always points out to me!), I figured she DESERVED some for her birthday ... and if that weren't ENOUGH ... the little postage stamps that are wrapping her chocolate squares have been adhered to a magnet sheet ... so she can put them on her fridge and remember how much her friend loves her!!! Happy Birthday, friendy!!! (And YES, this little box IS on its way to ya!!)

Stamps: Pretty Postage
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Garden Green
Ink: Melon Mambo, Garden Green
Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Scallop Square Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding, Paper Crimper, Acetate

Next stop??? The equally fabulous Patty Bennett! There are sooo many bright, lovely colors in her projects that spring is SURE to show up!!

The Same ... But Different ...

Today's challenge over on SCS was to create two cards using the same image/supplies. Okay, you have all heard me say (recently, in fact), that "dude" cards are really a struggle for me. And TWO dude cards using the same stuff??? Yikes!!

This is what I came up with. I actually am really LOVING this Nautical Expedition DSP. I will probably have to buy at least ONE more package of it. At least it gives me a "jumping off" place for making a guy card!





Here is a close up of the "vertical" one ...











And here is the "horizontal" one ...

Keywords: TLC321 SUO Masculine
Stamps: The Open Sea, Punch Pals
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Nautical Expedition DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Early Espresso 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Vintage Brads, Pop-Up Glue Dots



Don't miss this month's Control Freaks Blog Tour, either ... it should be up and rollin' by tomorrow night!!!



Gotta dash ... 'cause I'm REALLY gonna be late for work. Good thing I'm my own boss, or I'd hafta fire myself, right??!!??

Hey, Dude ...

I think a lot of you know how I feel about making "dude" cards ... they are just such a challenge for me. I like flowers ... and ribbon tied into a bow ... and blingy stuff ...

I struggled with this card. The challenge on SCS yesterday (WT318) was to incorporate "people" into your card. First of all, I don't own a lot of "people-y" images. Again, I like flowers ... which is always so glaringly obvious when I try to reach out of my comfort zone and try to attempt a "dude" card or something. Since this card was for a 10-year-old boy's birthday (Happy Birthday, Parker!), I knew flowers weren't gonna cut it ...

The layout is pretty funky, as are the colors. And my friend pointed out to me that the baker's twine/paper clippy thing kinda looks like a fishing lure ("But I like it!," she said.) I suppose she's right ... I guess I need to stretch myself more often, and then MAYBE these types of cards will get easier ... maybe ...

I'm off with my hubby later today to fly down to Mesquite, Nevada (in our red airplane me and my daughter so affectionately call "Clifford") to spend a good portion of tomorrow (Saturday) taking scouts on short little flights for the Young Eagles program. The weather is supposed to be GLORIOUS!!! Can't wait!!

Stamps: Extreme Surfboard, Extreme Guitar, Extreme Skateboard, Extreme Elements, Smarty Pants
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black
Accessories: Circle Cutter, Wide Oval Punch, Paper Distressing Tool, Cuttlebug Checkerboard Embossing Folder, Mini Clip, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Silver Brads, Pop-Up Glue Dots

A Rose for You

I'm really liking making these paper roses (okay, this reminds me of the Marie Osmond song from the 1970's ... which really dates me ... and if you've never heard it before I'm just gonna pretend that I don't know how much younger than me you are!!) ... I think I wore that record out - belting at the top of my lungs "Paaaa-per Rooo-ses ... (and if you don't know what an actual RECORD is, I'm REALLY gonna pretend that I don't know how much younger than me you are!!)

I did this for TLC320 over on SCS. It was to adapt your straight border punch by notching the bottom edge of your already-punched strip so that you can "mold" it into a circular or oval shape. Pretty cool, eh? Here's a link to a little tutorial on how to do it:

Shelly Schmidt's "Punched Circle" Edge Tutorial

I also plan on doing a video on how to make the paper flowers REALLY soon ... stay tuned!! :)

We have been a one-car family this past week 'cause one of our cars is having some work done. My husband looked at the fuel gauge in the car the other day when I was driving him to work and said, "Where have you been driving? You're almost out of gas already ... " Really?? Seriously???? Like I wasn't already enough of a "Taxi Mom"??? Now I'm driving EVERYONE pretty much EVERYWHERE (including my hubby)! It's amazing how that happens ... if only I had a convertible and some sunshine to go with all this driving!!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Teahouse (background), Silhouette Sentiments
Paper: Basic Black, Rose Red, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Square Bigz Die, MS Arched Lattice Border Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Black/White Gingham Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Embedded Embossing

First off, I'd like to give a great big thanks and a hug to all of you for all of your lovely comments, thoughts and prayers for the sympathy card I made for my cousin. I had so many lovely personal e-mails, too. You are all the BEST! Thank you from the bottom of my heart ...

It was once again my turn to hostess the Free for All challenge over on SCS. I was having a hard time thinking up anything, and then I remembered a technique I've been seeing around lately ... one I had never tried, so I just decided to go for it. I guess you would call this embedded embossing. The basic premise is to put layers/shapes together on one layer by embossing them all at the same time. I know that sounds kinda dumb the way I worded it, but I think the pictures speak for themselves!!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush, Whisper White, In Color DSP
Ink: Concord Crush
Accessories: 5-Petal Flower Punch, Triple Layer Blossom Bouquet Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, White Baker's Twine, Assorted Buttons, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Here's one more I did ... somehow, I had envisioned this differently. The newsprint DSP didn't turn out to look as good as I had thought it would, but I guess it's okay ...

Stamps: Fabulous Phrases
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, First Edition DSP
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: Lattice Bigz Die, Finial Press Textured Impressions Folder, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Medium Oval Punch, 5-Petal Flower Punch, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Big Designer Button, Scallop Border Punch

By the way, stay tuned for a tutorial on how I made the flowers for the sympathy card I posted on Wednesday HERE ... they are really much easier than they look!!

Heartache and Loss ...

Making a sympathy card for the death of a loved one is never an easy task. It is especially hard when that loved one is a young person ...

So goes this tale of this card. My cousin's 21-year-old son was killed in a car accident last week. He had only been married for 7 short months. This young man has had a long and difficult medical history. Through all his trials he remained faithful and strong. He was a kind young man who spent much of his time in the service of others. My heart just aches for his parents and his brother and sisters ... and particularly his young wife.

God be with you 'til we meet again, Reed ...

Stamps: Thoughts and Prayers
Paper: Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Soft Suede
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Fancy Flower Punch, 5-Petal Flower Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Double Scallop Corner Punch (Marvy), Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Folder, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Pearls, Paper Crimper, Glue Dots

Baby Bargello

After you have been making cards for a while you kinda get into a groove ... find your own style You get to a point where you feel like you've "been there/done that" ... which has been happening to me a LOT lately!! It is only once in a blue moon that i see something that is "new" to me, or that I think is super cool and fun. That is how this bargello technique has been for me. I've seen a lot of "quilted" backgrounds done in a lot of different ways, but I love the uniqueness of this technique, and how easy it really is to do.

Here is a link to a tutorial done by Joan Ervin over on SCS. Totally LOVE it!!

Joan's Bargello Tutorial

Ii actually did this as a sample to teach my Stamp Club ladies. It looks like it's going to be tricky, which can be overwhelming. My friends were glad to see that it was also easy to do. Gotta love THAT!

By the way, Mother Nature is messing with my psyche ... I was admiring the pansies, daffodils and hyacinths that have been making their way out this past week. Then ... BAM!! I woke up yesterday morning to this view out my front door ... while I'll have to admit that snow IS purdy, I am reaaaallllllyyyy getting ready for something new, aren't you??? ('cept if you are in the southern hemisphere, then you are just coming in to winter!!)

Off to start a new day ... enjoy your Monday everyone!!

Stamps: Punch Bunch
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Play Date dsp (retired)
Ink: Early Espresso, Real Red, So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: Square Lattice and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folders, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Large and Small Tag Punches, Pop-Up Glue Dots

A Lighthouse for a Birthday ...

I haven't done a sketch challenge over on SCS in, like, forEVER!! And I cheated on this one ... a little ... I just was not feeling it totally, so I just kinda fudged the red panel ... hmmm....

I have also decided that my stamp collection is significantly lacking in the "dude" stamp area ... I just don't have that many guy stamps! Sixty zillions stamps and only a handful of them are suitable for "dude" cards ... sigh ... which means I'm gonna hafta start investing in some ... which means I may hafta revamp my space some more to make 'em fit!!!

Stamps: Light of the World by Our Daily Bread, Perfect Punches, Print Pattern
Paper: Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Wide Oval Punch, Hemp, Corduroy Button, Pop-Up Glue Dots

It's Concert Time Again ...

Each year at this time I spend about a week running my darling daughter back and forth and back and forth to rehearsals and performances for Children's Dance Theatre (a dance company she is involved with through the University of Utah). Their productions are NEVER anything but stellar, and this year was no different. She finished her last performance yesterday, so it looks like we survived another year ....

I mentioned last year that each year they assign each of the older dancers to a younger dancer ... kind of a "big brother/sister" sort of deal. This year was no different. It's so fun helping my daughter come up with ideas of what to give to her little friend every day. She thinks up some things, and I think up some things (this year one of the things we brought for one day was a fluffy pink bunny ... super cute and soft!!). Anyway, we have been giving these little chipboard coaster photo albums every year. They are fun to make and fun to give!!



Aren't they cute??? Here are a couple of photos I took of the girls ...





And I left the rest of the pages blank (7 of 'em!) ... so she could add her own photos. Pretty fun, right?? (Soooo glad I haven't thrown out all my retired DSP's and all the retired cardstock!!)

Paper: Berry Bliss DSP (retired), Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Cricut Create a Critter Cartridge and Alphalicious Cartridge, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots and Mesh Texutre Embossing Folders, Pink/Brown Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearl Sticker, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Chipboard Coasters, Bind-It-All, Label Maker, Corner Rounder

Laaaaassssttt One!

I am finally down to the very last card I made for VSN a few weeks back. I was trying to make this look less like everything else I do ... and, as a result, I'm not really loving it. I seem to be stuck on the horizontal ribbon thing, too, no matter how hard I try!!!

Saw some beautiful, blue sky earlier today ... apparently, it's gonna be replaced by some more gloom and doom tomorrow ... kind of a pre-spring tease. I'm hopeful that I'll see Mr. Sunshine again sometime soon ... he makes me happy!!

Stamps: Studio Sketches, All Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat, Paper Distressing Tool, Pearls, Corner Rounder Punch